Member-only story
Why Sadness is Vital to Becoming the Best Verison of Yourself
It’s okay to not be okay.
My freshman year of college was a new start for me.
I had spent all of high school in a miserable state of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Finally, I chose to be happy again about halfway through senior year. I chose to heal, and see the light in my life again.
With that choice, I also chose to go to school in Seattle, Washington; thousands of miles away from home.
To me, being depressed again wasn’t even an option. I didn’t want to mess up this part of my life.
My freshman year was full of happiness, friends, and exploring this new city I called home. I couldn’t have asked for a better fresh start. However, toward the end of my second quarter I could feel the pent-up stress I wasn’t letting out.
I was really busy. Like, really really busy. Everyday. But I was just persevering.
I didn’t think I could let myself feel sad again. I couldn’t let myself feel depressed or anxious. God forbid I missed home. I stopped letting myself feel and put on a smile every day because I thought that I had to.
